Okay so what I really do is that I write all the dialogues and fill in the descriptions later. My dumbass had this chapter exceeding like 5000 words so once again I had to divide it into two parts.
Dramatic chapter because I'm more into drama than romance these days.
Thanks for reading and liking. Hopefully.
Make sure to add his first lady in your libraries and check it out.
It has burak and Fawad. That's the dream really. 😂😂
That's all.
Vote. Comment. Tell me what you think.
Its Monday tomorrow, enjoy a shitty work day haha 😂
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Anaaya x Hassan.
The sun gleamed through the window, rays of the morning sunlight spreading across the whole room. The warmth of the sun comforted his skin as he talked over the phone. He could hear the distant sound of loud voices and the most dominating voice was of his aunt, who questioned his wife's whereabouts.
Usually she was up on her feet early and ready, but since it had taken her a long time to get her baby girl to sleep, she was trying to take a nap right now.
Anaaya was only half asleep, half awake as she heard the chitchat of her husband. She didn't say anything because they both were not on talking terms, the argument of last night still deep rooted in her head.
She turned away from his side again and pretended to close her eyes.
"Anaaya, Phupho wants to know if you would go to the graveyard with her?"
He knew she was awake and he also knew why she was choosing to ignore him, she open her eyes and set up but didn't say a word.
"Excuse me, hello?"
He hissed at her as he realized that she was not talking to him, not even if there was someone on the other end waiting to hear her response through him.
She stood up from the bed and walked towards the table, picking up her own cell phone.
"What's your problem?" He questioned his wife, ending the phone call in slight anger.
Anaaya acted unbothered.
He saw her dial a number as she took out a shirt from the closet and then a towel.
"Hello? Yes aunty, can you tell phupho that I promised to go with Hiba after lunch and can't go right now?"
She said through the phone and then after hearing her mother in law's response, she ended the call.
"Yeah, Thankyou."
After putting her belongings on the couch, she opened the bedroom door, she called out her son as she spotted him running across the living room.
"Rohaan, where are your shoes?" She stopped him by using her hand and looked at him as the maid arrived in that very moment.
Her hands were carrying a basket of clothes already, Anaaya knew she had to give out the dirty clothes for laundry too.
"Go wear them."
She said to Rohaan and then turned around, she walked back inside, picking up the dirty clothes from the floor, there were several clothes that was sprawled over the couch as well, she had collected them last night knowing that tomorrow was laundry day.
"Anaaya."
Hassan called her out one more time but she ignored his voice and instead put the clothes in the basket.
"Acha is wale ko haath se dhona, ye fabric sensitive hai kharab ho jayega. And Aira k kapre separately dhona Acha?"
She was busy instructing her how to wash the clothes and in what way, that she saw Azlaan entering the room too.
"Morning bhabhi."
He greeted and she passed him a smile. A lot of things have changed about him in the past few years, he was much calm and much more understanding.
He was for sure more respectful to Anaaya as well. In fact, they had been getting along quite well lately.
"Bhai, I need to talk to you." He announced sitting on the bed with a few files in his hand.
He didn't care that his brother was half naked, without a shirt and just sat on the mattress of the bed.
"Yeah, what is it?"
Since both the brothers had serious expressions on their faces, she found and sat on the couch as well, closing the door.
"Bhai, I think it's hightime that we talk about the properties and business."
Hassan did not want to talk about it at all. Of course, as his father's son he knew what he owned and how it was to be distributed but this time was so critical and everyone was in their phase of mourning, that he did not deem this time to be worthy of talking about money.
"Azlaan."
He try to dismiss the topic but his brother shook his head.
"No bhai, its everyone's right. It's not just you and me, it's our sisters as well."
Upon hearing the name of his sisters, he softened.
"And why should I go to an outside lawyer when I have you?" Hassan finally nodded, getting more attentive and sitting up straight.
"Okay, yeah."
He looked at his wife who was sat on the couch, using her phone.
"Anaaya, Aziz bhai se bolo chai to bana dain."
"He's not Maggie that'll give you tea at one, he's not in the kitchen." She stated rudely causing Hassan to glare at her.
Was it really that necessary for her to show everyone that she was mad at him?
He didn't say anything, he knew he would say something much more mean and bit his tongue.
Hassan, opened the file instead.
"Okay, so bhai I was thinking that we should name it separately for each person, it would be better that way.. And the business,-"
Before he could even complete his sentence, his brother beat him to it.
"Business is yours, Azlaan." He said in a voice that felt final.
His brother shook his head, frowning.
"No bhai, its ours."
"You've worked hard on it, it's yours only."
"And what would I say to dad? That I didn't do what he had asked of me?
"I'm not giving up anything that's my right. But you've worked on this business, I whole heartedly want you to take it."
Hassan wasn't stupid or selfless but he was for sure, fair. He did not think it was fair for him to be part of a business that he had never been interested in.
"But-"
This time, Anaaya interfered, interrupting whatever Azlaan was going to say.
"Azlaan, stop arguing. He's right."
Her brother in law clicked his tongue, not at all convinced. Out of all the things that their father had taught them, one was honesty and non greediness.
All his life, honesty had helped him take the business to a level which he thought was an achievable. He couldn't be dishonest now.
"Bhabhi, you tell me? What would dad say?" Anaaya sighed but then smiled
"He would be happy to see that his children aren't greedy over property."
He ground and looked at his brother childishly, almost resembling Abaan.
"I'm sorry bhai, I can't accept this."
Both the brothers put their hand on their head, too stubborn.
Finally, Hassan lifted his head up as he got an idea.
"Okay, how about you use my money to build an old home. Under dad's name."
At least his father's spirit won't be disappointed in him. The idea warmed Anaaya's heart.
The most wretched thing to see was probably an old person begging. At least for her.
The idea impressed Azlaan too, who nodded enthusiastically.
"Really? I think that'd be great. Infact, I'll give up some of my own share to build it." He announced.
He turned to look at his sister in law, she knew their father much better then they could ever know him.
Maybe it was because of her level of frankness or friendship with him that they could never develop, or the level of trust that their father had in her.
"Bhabhi? What do you think?"
"I think that this is the best idea." She encouraged them both.
A good deed was always appreciated.
"Baaqi, I'll get the papers ready and we can discuss it with mama. Let's equally distribute everything." Hassan announced and Azlaan stood up from the bed.
"Okay, I'll work on it then."
He was almost at the door, about to leave when he caught a glimpse of his niece who had woken up just now.
"Can I take her with me?"
Anaaya, too distracted didn't hear him properly. She looked at him confused.
"Haan?"
"Main Aira ko le jaun apne sath?"
She happily nodded, she needed to shower anyway.
"Le jao."
"Come to Chachu, baby."
With that, Azlaan exited the room and the couple looked at each other.
Then, they looked away and carried their chores.
__
It was not until she had gotten out from the shower, and he had dressed himself for the day that he could not control it anymore and finally grasped her arm, stopping her from leaving the room.
"Anaaya! What's the problem?"
That was enough for her to burst out whatever she was feeling right now.
"What's the problem? The problem is that you don't understand that your life is not my life!! We're two different individuals."
She exclaimed. Yes, their hearts were joined, maybe their souls too. But not their minds.
They had different ambitions, different ways of understanding and solving things and definitely different opinions and thoughts.
"You and I have different jobs, different way of thinking-"
She got interrupted by Hassan, who had a softer tone as compared to her.
"Which is what's been good for our relationship."
"Yes. But you can't just make decisions and not include me!"
It had been really hard for her to even digest the news that he had simply taken a decision without even consulting it with her. He had never done something of this sort in the past few years, and that is what had helped them develop such a strong relationship.
"I didn't even want to leave Pakistan initially, you convinced me to go to London first, then Newyork. Now I'm happy there, thriving in my career, and you want to move back?"
"How the fuck is this fair Hassan?"
Her voice cracked at the last words, she could be at the top of her game if she went back, he had already reached that phase a long time ago, but now it was her time to shine and she felt like it was all being taken away from her.
"It's not fair, Anaaya! My dad dying was not fair either."
His voice cracked too, the pain of losing his father was still very much fresh and the wounds were still not healed.
How could he leave his mother when his father had just died and he was left feeling guilty that he could not be there for his father in his last days?
"What if you were in my mother's place? What if I had died? What then?"
His interrogation caused her to look up at him, her eyes were bloodshot and teary, her lip wobbled indicating that she was holding back a cry.
"You almost did, Hassan. And I had to handle it all alone for months!"
That caused him to ponder over a lot of things. She had already compromised so much, already supported him so much but he had no other choice.
It was love versus love. Duty versus duty. He had a duty towards his wife but he also had a duty towards his mother. His mother had almost never asked him for anything.
How could he refused her when she had asked him for just one thing at such a time?
He saw Anaaya taking a deep breath and running a hand through her hair.
"But I'm done. You know the children are getting restless, you know that they are settled there. You know that my work is important to me. You know all of this."
She told him the things that he already knew. He huffed.
"I also know that my mother needs me. That trumps over everything."
She chuckled dryly, her bitterness coming out in words.
"If only you had realised that leaving parents wasn't okay six years ago."
Even though she had mumbled the last sentence, he had clearly heard her. It had hurt him.
Out of all the people who could have said this to him, she was the one who did. The one person he never thought would say such a thing to him.
It pained him to even hear those words from her mouth. he knew that she didn't mean it but that still didn't make it okay.
"What did you just say to me?" He shot at her angrily.
She looked guilty, she did. But she covered it up by putting on a brave phase.
"It doesn't matter, Hassan. You know I didn't mean it, What matters is that it's not just your life, it's mine as well."
"I thought it was our life." He corrected her.
"And you clearly respected that when you made a decision without my consent." She shot back at him and he thought he had enough of this argument.
"I have nothing to say to you anymore."
"Me neither."
So she turned around and left the room without looking back.
--
She was sat, pouting in a corner,when her son arrived with an even bigger pout on his face.
"What Abaan? What's the matter?"
She questioned in exasperation, already knowing what his answer was going to be.
"Mama, I miss my fishies."
When she didn't reply to him and only held his waist pulling him onto her lap, he started to speak more.
"And Maggie, and Ali, and miss Nancy."
He looked at her mother, questioning her very seriously.
"When we goin home?"
She almost wanted to tell him that his father had made a decision without even asking any of them, but she held that back.
Instead, she kissed the top of her head and smiled at him.
"You should ask your baba that."
She mumbled. That was enough information for him, as he pulled out of her grass and ran towards the living room.
"Abaan, wait!"
She tried to stop him but he did not stop. Not that she wanted him to, she wanted him to question his father, maybe she would somehow convince him by the sheer innocence of a child.
First, he sat on the chair next to his father and his grandmother, then he put hand on his chin and stared at his baba.
"Baba! When we goin home?"
Hassan didn't say anything, he looked at Anaaya from the corner of his eye who was now standing a few feet away.
Aunty Shagufta however, pulled her grandson towards her.
"Why jaan? You don't like this home?"
She questioned as if he was going to say yes. Abaan shook his head.
"No, it's okay but my home has fishies."
"We can get you fishes." She assured him but he found and looked at his father again.
"Baba, I want to go home." He insisted and Hassan scowled.
He had never really been firm with his children, so he simply smiled at his son with kindness, then moved him towards Anaaya.
"Abaan, go eat your lunch."
He stayed right there though, not moving from the place he was standing at.
Aunty Shagufta smiled at the stubbornness of her grandson and cupped his cheeks.
"Hassan, rehne do beta. Haan jee? Why do you not want to stay here?"
Anaaya knew that Abaan could be brutally honest at times, she didn't want her mother in law to feel hurt so she simply walked towards the table and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Aunty, he's just a little homesick..you know? His whole life is there,"
She explained and then looked at Hassan.
"Some people just expect others to be fine with everything, that can't happen."
She taunted but he had enough of it. He was already stressed enough, he did not need her to taunt him further.
"If you want to say something to me, say it to my face. Don't involve my mother."
He snapped at her and she looked at him in anger.
She could have said a lot of things but she respected the presence of her mother in law and decided to walk away.
"I don't have anything to say."
She stated, then held her son's hand.
"Come, Abaan. I'll take you to the aquarium today. Okay?"
With that, she walked out on him once again. As she disappeared from the living room,. Hassan's mother gazed at her son in concern.
"What happened, is everything alright?"
She questioned, he shook his head.
"It's nothing, mama."
"Anaaya isn't happy with you. Why is that?"
"Because she's stubborn." He responded instantly. His mother let out a small laugh.
"That's not it, tell me why.." She insisted again.
He did not want to lie to her so he simply let out the truth.
"Because I didn't ask her if she wanted to stay here, I just made a decision."
"So who is the one at wrong here?"
He looked at his mother in shock, she had always been slightly hard on Anaaya, not in the evil sense but in the protective mother sense.
He never really expected her to defend his wife.
"When did you become such a defender of my wife? Haan?" He enquired. His mother smiled at him with sadness attached to it.
"I'm just trying to say what your father would have said."
He knew for sure that his father would have scolded him, he admitted that he was initially wrong and his decision had started the argument but she had also being extra snappy.
He was still in thought when his mother patted his hand.
"Talk to her, go."
So he stood up and decided to talk to Anaaya.
--
Who do you think is right? Hassan or Anaaya?